Euan-duster



JOSEPH JOHNSTON, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

BEAN-DUSTER.

Specification of Letters Patent N o. 11,832, dated October 24, 1854s.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH JOHNSTON, of

i Wilmington, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have invented oertain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Bolting Bran, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 represents a view in perspective of my improved bran duster, certain portions of the case being removed to show the arrangement of the interior; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the' machine; and Fig. 3, a horizontal section of the same.

My improvements are designed to increase the efiiciency and durability of the bran duster, and consist, first, in constructing the cylinder which surrounds the revolving scouring brush of open cast metal frame work lined with gauze which is att-ached to wood inlaid in the frame or in some other suitable and equivalent manner.

The second part of my invention consists of asheet metal shield, or guard by means of which the gauze is prevented from cutting or breaking at the edges of the bars of the frame.

The third part of my invention consists in combining a series of wings with fthe series of revolving brushes in such manner that the two act conjointly in discharging the fine flour through the meshes of the wire gauze,

whereby the brushes can be made less stiE than when wings are not employed, the wire gauze is less rapidly worn away and the eficiency and durability of the machine is increased.

In the accompanying drawings A is the frame of the machine; it is composed mainly of four corner posts connected by side rails, and is cased in by removable side shutters a a. The bolting cylinder is situated in the upper portion of this frame; it consists of a bottom plate (B), of dishing form, which is supported by two cross beams, and of a sectional skeleton frame (C, C), to which the wire gauze is attached. The bottom plate (B), is fitted with a spout (D), which eX- tends through the side of the outer case to discharge the bran; it has also a flange (it at its upper edge upon which the skele on frame rests.

The skeleton frame is formed in this instance of two semi-cylindrical sections which are bolted together; each section has three standards (d), which are connected by semicircular ribs (f f), whose upper faces are beveled off to facilitate the falling of the line Hour discharged through the wire gauze. The uppermost rib (f) forms the lower eX- tremity of a semi-cylindrical case or head (g), whose interior is studded with upright teeth, whose ofiice will be described hereafter. The hollow cylinder formed by the two semi-cylindrical sectional frames is closed at the upper end by the top board (E) of the case which has an oriiice in it to admit the bran to be bolted.

The skeleton frame is formed of cast metal, and its ribs and standards are cast with sockets into which wooden blocks (i), are tightly fitted; the two sections are then boltedtogether and bored out truly cylindrical. The wire gauze is nailed to the Wood of the frame and a plate (j), of thin metal,"`

tin plate or sheet copper for example, is nailed over those portions of the `gauze which bear against the ribs ofthe frame. These plates are of sufficient width to project slightly beyondfjithe edges of the ribs, and thus shield those portions of the gauze which bear upon theribs` from any injurious internal pressure. A

The brushes and wings, by means of which the ine flour is projected through the wire gauze, are secured to two circular disk heads (F) and (G) which are made fast to a vertical spindle (H), which revolves in the center of the cylindrical frame. This spindle is stepped at its lower end' in a brass CHP (J),

(7c) which rests in a stationary secured to a bridge tree (K), that crosses the lower extremity of the main frame. The journal at the upper extremity of the spindle is passed into a similar brass (L), which rests in a cup (M), supported by a bridge tree that crosses the upper extremity of the frame. Both brasses are kept inthe proper position to maintain the spindle exactly in the center of the cylindrical frame by ad-` A justing screws The upper' head (F), is fitted on its upper side with radiating wings (m), which, as the spindle turns distributes the bran fed through the orifice in the top board throughi out the cylindrical frame. The lower side of the lower head (G), is also tted with wings or scrapers (p), which, traversing the disk formed bottom plate (B), collect(f the bran falling upon it, and discharge itV through the spout (D), at theside of the machine. The adjacent faces of the two heads have corresponding ribs (r'r),'"upon them to form radial grooves (g), inwhich the yextremities of the brush stocks, (N), are received. rlhey are also fitted with polygonal ribs, (s s), sides of staves O, which with the brush stocks and heads form a cylindrical drum that prevents the bran from approaching the spindle, and thus keeps it within the range of the brushes and wings.y The staves (O), are secured by bolts to ears cast upon the Y ribsf(s s), of the heads; and the wings (P),

are made fast to the staves. These wings are' formed of sheet metal, and are of such breadth that their outer edges in revolving, just clear the wire gauze. rIhe brushes are arranged between the wings, and their stocks are connected with hubs (R) upon the spindle by adjusting screws (t t), by means of which they can be set in any required position, and can beV moved from time to time to compensate for the wear of the extremities of the bristles.

The spindle is fitted near its lower eX-l tremity with a belt pulley `(S), to which a driving belt is applied, by means of which,

outer the spindle with its drum, brushes, and" wings is vcaused to revolve rapidly. y The lower extremity of the case is closed by, an

inclined bottom board (T), which is sloped sufficiently to allow the boltedfiour 'to de-y scend freely. i

When the machine is in operation the bran to be bolted is fed uponk the head of the drum as the latter revolves the bran is thrown outward by the centrifugal force generated by the revolution ofl the drum, and is projected in "directions tangential to the periphery of theihead, against the head of the cylinder where its horizontal movement is arrested by the teeth (e) the bran falls from the head of the frame within the range of the revolving brushes and beaters, the former of which rub the fine v flour through the meshes of the wire gauze, while the wings not only assist the brushes by throwing the bran againstl the wire gauze, but at the same time scrape off any surplus of the bran and thus prevent it from accumulating or caking against the gauze. rlhe fine Hour falls outsideI` of the wire gauze, and is collected at one side of the machine by the inclined bott-om board of the case, while the bran from which the flourV has been separated falls upon the bottom, and is discharged by the action of the scrapers (p), through the spout at the side of the machine. Y

.lf the wings are not used'the brushes must be made exceedingly stiff to enable them to remove the bran which is impelled forcibly against the wire by the centrifugal force; and if the brushes are made sufficiently stiff which support the innerV gauze. f'

so hard against the gauze ythat it is in constant danger of bursting under the pressure.

lf on' the other hand' the brushes are made limber, and the wings are not used, the brushes cannot prevent the accumulation and caking of the b-ran, the' meshes of the wire dauze'afre clo O'ed and the etlicienc of the machine is greatly impaired. By the employmenty of brushes and wingsfin connection, Vthe former may be made of merely sutlicient stiffness to brushv the flour from the bran, while the wings perform the whole duty of clearing vthe bran from the ywire gauze, toV prevent it from clogging.

.The method hereinL described of constructing the bars of the frame with inlaid wooden blocks/having metal on both their sides is of great importance. It is well known that wood by itselfk would warp out of shape yfrom changes in the moisture and temperature of the atmosphere, and from many other causes, Y and hence the wire gauze, .which must be .perfectly cylindrical', must be supported entirely by metal. This is y,the case in my machine, as the wood merely `,acts as asoft substance into which the nails can be driven to fasten the gauze, while the metal at each sideoff the wood supports the The shields I have described for preventing the, gauze from being pressed over the edges of thejribs of the frame 1are also important. Experience 'has proved that if the wire isv not Vshielded vfrom pressure at these parts: it is lquickly cut bythe edges of the ribs against Vwhich the gauze is pressed by the internal pressure, and consequently the Vmachine requires constant repairs. By the employment of the shields, this defect is obviated, as thev shields protect the portions of the gauzewhichpass over the edges of the ribs from the pressure o-ftlie brushes,

-and these portions are thus rendered as durable as the other portions.`

The advantages of the metallic over the wooden frame [are its 'greater area of openings, with greater strength and stiffness, less; liability to change its form, and from its pro-perty of conducting the electricity, generated by the rapid rotation of the brushes, more freely than wood, the flour is separa-ted from the bran, and discharged much more freely from the meshes of the gauze, whereby the use of a beater for shaking off the flour is dispensed with; and further, the flour being freed from electricity by the conducting properties of the case, when returned for rebolting, will not like fiour fro-m a duster with a wooden case, adhere to, and yclog the bolting cloth. The co'nducting properties of the frame, rthus not only facilitates the operations of the duster,

vbut also thesubsequent ones of bolting.

l d0 not Wshto be understood as claiming any originality in discovering that cast metal possesses greater rigidity than Wood, or that itis less susceptible to hygroinetic or temperature changes of the atmosphere. Nor do I claim as my invention any particular mode or manner of inserting or attaching as much Wood into an iron or other frame or foundation or support, as may be necessary for nailing, attaching, or in any way fastening thereto, rails, laths, Wire or other cloth. t:Neither do I claim to be the rst who discovered that metal is a better conductor of electricity than dry Wood. But

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is constructing the frames of the concaves or cylinders which support the Wire clothy in bran dusters of cast metal so as to secure the objects and advantages herein specied, in the manner specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.`

` JOSEPH JOHNSTON. IVitnesses:

THos.r J. EDDY, E. S. BENWIGK. 

